


Choosing Paths

by ScribeProtra



Series: Girl Genius Event Week 2018 [4]
Category: Girl Genius (Webcomic)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gen, Thematic Parallels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 10:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16262435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribeProtra/pseuds/ScribeProtra
Summary: Written for Day 4 of Girl Genius Event Week for the prompts: Generation Euphrosynia, Generation Bill, and Generation Agatha.The Agatha/Dimo pairing is pre-ship. If you already ship it you'll see it, if you don't then you won't.Three Generations of Heterodynes sitting in the same room and having a think.





	1. Choosing Yin

Mechanicsburg was still smoldering from Andronicus's last attack. The walls and the Castle and their horde had held, as always. But still. She had seen the reports and seen the pattern. By inches and by time they were losing this war.

She glanced up at the cloud covered night sky as she sat next to Bluddy. It was a nice spot where they were. Very high up in the castle, right below the roof. Wide open window they could dangle their legs out of, great view of the whole town.

Bluddy signed deeply and leaned against her.

"I am running out of ideas," he admitted very very quietly, "Being thwarted can be fun but he isn't doing that. He just grinds down everything we throw at him."

She bit her lower lip and hmmed, eyes half closed as the memory of how destructive and deadly Andy was rose in her mind.

But then she noticed again how damaged their town was and her excitement died.

He could have been such delightful fun if he wasn't such an overbearing *hero*.

Bluddy leaned against her with a sigh as they both started Heterodyning. The echos and vibrations, the twining of their songs. Shutting out everything unimportant until only they remained. Oh, she could thinking clearest here and now.

Not to say she couldn't do so alone. But together was best.

So.

What was Andy weak against?

She thought of all the failures they've tried so far, thinking of which lasted the longest before expanding her thoughts to Outsiders and how they handled Andy. The ones to get the best deal where. Huh.

Were all woman. The Priestess of Nyx. The Warmaids of Freyja. Charlemange's Angels. The White Witches of Midnight. The Daughters of Ester. Her Undying Majesty Albia. All skilled in the subtle feminine arts.

She was aware that the tone of their humming had changed. Warped and reflected that she was leading while her brother supported. Mostly she was focused on chasing down this train of thought.

She, personally, preferred being direct and open about sex and romance and all that fun stuff. But she could learn subtlety. She wouldn't much like it- it wasn't nearly as much fun- but she could.

Oh, but he was all Heroic and Kingly. He would prefer a girl who was submissive and in need of rescue wouldn't he? Disgusting. Denying herself her own personhood, being a lie and not a Heterodyne- could she handle that?

She looked down at Mechanicsburg and felt her heart settle into determination as unstoppable- as powerful as the Dyne. For *her* family, for *her* people, for *her* town? With out *question*.

She slowly wound down her humming to a stop, Bluddy following right behind. He was sitting up and watching her, bright eyed and eager to hear her plan.

"You won't like my plan for the same reason I never like you going head to head with Andy in battle," she said, giggling madly, "But Oh, Bluddy I can destroy him so utterly!"

Bluddy cackled with her and clapped her on the shoulder, "Very well, my dearest sister! I will step aside and trust you on this. But at least try to make it home alive?"

"There is not enough data to make a guess so the end result will be unknown until I get there," she said, "But I promise to try.


	2. Choosing Yang

The Fleshyards had finally stopped burning and were only smothering now. The smoke haze had also cleared, letting the bright sun shine down from the clear blue sky illuminating everything.

It had taken a while to get all the Traditions and official paperwork squared away but now he and Barry could sit down for a moment to rest. He'd lead the way as high as they could go, to a large room with a wide opening facing the horizon, that was right below the roof.

They sat side by side at the opening, danging their legs over the edge.

It was quiet and restful and pleasant but it couldn't last. Eventually Barry took a deep breath, rubbed his face, and asked as he turned to Bill, "Now what do we do?"

...He wasn't really sure. Clean up the town a bit? They were Heterodynes after all. What could they do other then restrain their inherited monsters and hope it was enough?

Bill glanced down at the town before looking back up at the horizon, feeling wistful and yearning. He remember all of Mama's stories about what was out there. About heroics and choices and how wide and broad and exciting the world was. About companionship and how wonderful it was to have, not just fearful allies, but friends.

He wanted that. He wanted that so much for both him and Barry. (He had also wanted it for Mama, that she could escape their Father's cage and live happily. But that wasn't possible anymore.)

He wanted it so badly that he started Heterodyning, Barry coming in right behind him to support.

Even though he wanted it- he didn't see how they could get it. They were locked here, caged by everyone's wants and expectations. They couldn't do what they-

Oh. That was wrong now.

He was The Hetreodyne now. And everyone always said The Heterodyne can and did as he pleased. And he already proved that didn't he? Yes, it was more along the old Hetertodyne actions of burning towns, but still. He wanted the Fleshyards burned and so they were.

If he wanted to go heroing instead of raiding *they could do that*. No one could stop them! They were Heterodynes and they could do as they pleased!

He had gotten to his feet in exultation as he figured that out and he looked down at Barry, grinning widely and manically as they both stopped humming.

"Barry," Bill proclaimed, voice fully in the madness place, "We're going to be heroes."

Barry beamed up at him, no longer downcast but excited and eager to start.

"Glad to hear it," Barry replied.


	3. Choosing Taijitu

It had been a very very busy week, since they had fixed the timestop. First had been getting the Baron to stop fighting and listen to them, and then it was trying to get it so he wasn't wasped. They hadn't completely succeeded but now the Baron had a little clank with her voice telling him he did not have to listen to her, which was the best option they had right now.

Gil really didn't want to kill his father, but if they didn't have a breakthrough in curing Revenants, they might have to.

That whole business took five days because Klaus Wulfenbach was incredibly stubborn and didn't listen to anyone ever. Not even his own brain overlay, currently in one of her little clanks.

Agatha had then spent the next two days fixing her town and, even more importantly, her injured Jägers. No one else could do that work while there were plenty of people who could work elsewhere. (Plus the Baron would throw another fit if he saw her working on curing him)

But now it was getting to night time and she really should be in bed. She had another day of work tomorrow, after all.

Except while her body was exhausted her brain was on high alert and would not rest. So now she was walking around her castle looking for Dimo. She found him right below the roof, in a mostly bare room with one very wide open sort of window. It didn't appear to have any glass covering so it wasn't a proper window. Perhaps it was meant as an aerial take off and landing door? It was certainly wide and tall enough.

Did she have any airforce? She knew about the torchmen, but hadn't heard about anything else. Ah well, another thing for her to discover later.

The only thing in the room was a pole and hammock Dimo had set up and was napping in. He had tipped his hat back when she entered and was now looking at her attentively.

Agatha gave him a tired smile and wave before going over to look out the window. The sun was slowly setting, turning the sky a riot of colors or red and orange and pink. Agatha still frowned because the angle of the view was terrible. She could look at her town or she could look at the horizon but she couldn't look at both at the same time.

She gave a grumpy huff at the terrible view and turned her back to it. Dimo was now looking fondly amused.

"Hyu should be in bed," he said, "Hyu gots training vit Miss Zeetha, hyu know."

Agatha groaned and rubbed her face as she walked to him, "I know. I just can't fall asleep. How's your arm?"

Dimo rolled back the sleeve of his shirt and coat to flex his newly grown and attached arm, "Iz fine Mistress. Hyu do goot sturdy work."

She had gotten to him and brushed her hands over his arm, humming softly in thought. She could feel the coiled strength in his muscles and his fur was very soft as she moved it around.

"Full range of motion? Any weird tingly feelings?" she asked 

Dimo made a throat clearing noise and answered, "Yah, Hy ken move around fine, und no, it iz feelin' fine."

Agatha made an agreeable noise and then stood there swaying slightly. She was so tired but her brain was so loud and Heterodying just made her mind *louder*.

She glanced back over at the opening and then perked up.

"Oh!" Agatha exclaimed in delight, "The view here is so much better!"

At Dimo questioning noise she waved a hand and explained, "I can see both the town and the horizon! Is that why you're here too?"

"Veeeeeell," Dimo said, "Dot und cawse Hy like to be hy up, yah."

He started sitting up, "Iffen hyu is wantin' hyu can lay here und watch de sun set, Mistress."

She huffed as she placed a hand on his chest and pressed down, Dimo going along willingly, "No. The hammock should be strong enough to hold us both, right? We can share."

"Den see vhy not," Dimo agreed, "Just vait a sec, hokay?"

Agatha watched as he wiggled around, taking off his heavy coat and then holding it to the side opposite she was standing. He then held out his fixed hand to help her climb on top of him. Once she had finished wiggling into a comfortable position, Dimo tossed the coat over both of them like a blanket.

The view was spectacular, her slowly rebuilding town (She had so many IDEAS! So many places that could be IMPROVED!) the surrounding mountains one with a hole at the top (she really did still need to deal with Zola's whole plot as well as Tweedle's nonsense) and the glorious beautiful sunset (she also really needed to find out what was up with the time windows and the Muse of Time.)

Agatha also felt safe and warm now and could feel tension sliding out of her body as she relaxed. Her ear was pressed against Dimo's chest and she could hear the calm regular thump-ump of his heartbeat. One of his arms was wrapped around her shoulders keeping her steady. (His other arm was back behind his head like a pillow, with his hat tipped back over his eyes again.)

And then he started purring, making her relax even further. Her mind was still running far too many trains of thought, but now they were slowing now and. Hmm.

"Hey Dimo?" Agatha asked, voice slurred with tiredness.

"Yez, m'Lady?" he replied, the purring cutting off.

"I'm gonna try an experiment but you got to keep purring though it, understand?"

"Hokay. Hy ken do dot," Dimo said 

Agatha kept watching the sunset as she started Heterodyning. 

(Dimo now was like how Adam was then. He couldn't Heterodyne with her, like how Adam hadn't been able to talk to Lilith, But Adam had always been worth listening to his voiceless words and Dimo was worth listening to his opinion on their people.)

So! Heterodyning worked by blocking out all outside noises so she could focus properly. Could she make it so that some specific sounds got through? Specifically, Dimo's heartbeat and his purring.

It took a while as the sun got lower and the upper parts of the sky turned dark. But eventually, it clicked in her.

With the steady beat of Dimo's heart in her ear, and the rising and falling roll of his purr, her mind finally calmed down. She was warm and safe and everything was alright in-and-with her world.

As the sun finished setting, Agatha Heterodyne fell asleep.


End file.
